European journal of pain : EJP
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Back pain is common among older adults resulting in the high societal and economic burden of persistent pain and disability. Pain medications are frequently prescribed for back pain, especially among older patients, but the efficacy of analgesics on back pain in this patient population remains under debate. In the present study, we investigated the outcomes (i.e. pain intensity and disability) of pain medication use in older people with back pain participating in a prospective cohort study. ⋯ Older patients taking pain medication did not report better outcomes than the ones who did not, except for those who de-escalated or stopped pain medication. Caution should be taken in prescribing pain medication for older patients with back pain in primary care.
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Most studies investigating the prognosis of low back pain (LBP) enrol people presenting for care, rather than all people who have an episode of LBP. We aimed to describe the prognosis of an acute episode of LBP in a community inception cohort. ⋯ This study describes the prognosis of an acute episode of LBP in a community inception cohort. This study found the majority of episodes of LBP, in community-dwelling adults, recover rapidly (median of 5 days) and more quickly than typically reported for clinical populations. The community should be reassured about the favourable prognosis of acute LBP.
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New-onset chronic pain has been acknowledged as part of the post-COVID-19 condition. However, available fine-grained data about its clinical phenotype, trajectories and main associated characteristics remain scarce. We described the distinct temporal evolutions of post-COVID-19 pain and their epidemiological and phenotypical features. ⋯ COVID-19-related pain usually follows a chronic course and is non-neuropathic. Its possible courses and phenotypes are associated with distinct clinical and epidemiological features. This suggests differing underlying mechanisms, which may have significant prognostic and therapeutic implications.